The Odyssey
by Meek Chimecho
Summary: A Bulbasaur that is willing to devote himself entirely to a kingdom and his king.
1. I

A bird flew overhead, casting a shadow over the little Bulbasaur. Its cry rang in the air, causing Ellery's head to snap up. He squinted as he finally spotted the red and black bird with a white underbelly: a Swellow. He clambered after the large bird, hoping it would lead him to the castle. The bushes and shrubbery thickened and scratched at his ankles as he scampered through the woods. Having been lost for a few days, in search of the fortress that housed the king, Ellery was just about to lose hope when his Arceus answered his prayers.

While he ran, Ellery couldn't help but notice the magnificent trees that occupied the forest. He never really ventured this deep before. He never had reason to, since he had lived in a nearby village with a kindly elderly Wormadam, bless her heart. Now that he was older, he could become a page and serve the king as a knight. Not to mention the possibility of gigantic adventures, fame, and adoring fans.

The little Bulbasaur was soon out of breath. He slowly trudged to the closest tree and leaned on it. Ellery shut his eyes and grimaced. How could he ever be a knight if he couldn't even run that far? Reinvigorated, he pushed himself off the dirty bark and raced after what direction he assumed the Swellow flied in.

Several minutes later, he pushed through a dense layer of thicket and stared in awe at the colossal palace that stood before him. It seemed to reach into the sky and tore through the clouds, piercing right into the sun. It was made of polished silver stone. Each and every slab must have been painstakingly arranged one by one, close together to create such a daunting stronghold. The thought of all those bricks made Ellery shiver in fear. A large tree emerged from the castle—the castle itself was actually built to encircle the most massive tree Ellery had ever laid eyes on. Roots seemed to seep out of the castle walls, like the talons of a bird gripping for purchase on a mountain. The ground was enveloped in vivid grass that sparkled with dabs of fresh dew and a moat surrounded the palace. The sound of a crashing waterfall nearby indicated where the source of the endless crystal clear laid.

"Hello!" The Bulbasaur blunderingly jumped back with a shout, looking left and right for the owner of the voice. "Down here!" Ellery's eyes darted to the water where a small blue pokemon with a yellow beak and a big green, circular leaf on its head, sat floating in the moat. It stared at him expectantly. "Who are you?"

"I…uh…you…castle…" Ellery stuttered dumbly.

The Lotad's face scrunched up for a second until it squeakily laughed. "I apologize, I should have introduced myself. I am Kanwal, a servant. You must be here for the Tournament, correct?"

Ellery gulped and nodded. "I am Ellery. I want to become a page." He blushed as Kanwal giggled.

"I thought so. I will carry you to the entrance, Ellery, sir."

The seed pokemon's eyes widened. "H-How?"

"On my leaf, of course! Now, let us make haste. I do not think you want to be late." Ellery wordlessly obeyed, pretending that this was a normal occurrence for him—which it definitely wasn't.

The Lotad stopped and waited patiently for Ellery to get off. The Bulbasaur gracelessly hopped off the Lotad and fell unceremoniously on the lush grass. "Are you alright, Ellery, sir?"

He scrambled to his feet and gave a sheepish smile. "Y-Yeah, I'm peachy." Just then, a familiar cry sounded.

"Oh no," Kanwal whispered. She looked pale.

Confused, Ellery asked, "What's wrong?" The wooden castle doors abruptly opened, scaring him out of his wits.

"Get in, quickly, Miss Kanwal—and company." A hulking Exploud bulging with muscles pushed through the two. "My apologies, but I must hurry," he said gruffly. The aforementioned Swellow swooped down and Ellery shrieked, dropping to his stomach and covering his head with his stubby forearms. The Swellow gave him an odd look and grabbed onto the Exploud's arms. Ellery winced when he saw how the bird's talons dug into the brute's shoulders, and then lifting him up with surprising ease. It flapped its wings and flew to the top of the castle.

"Follow me. Perhaps you should cover your ears, Ellery, sir." The seed pokemon gave Kanwal a puzzled look but scowled once the Exploud bellowed at the top of his lungs. His claws immediately went up to his ears in vain. The beast of a pokemon was just too loud. The ground seemed to tremble even after Ellery into the castle and Kanwal shut the two large mahogany doors. Finally, after what seemed like hours, the yelling died down and eventually ceased altogether.

Ellery turned to see Kanwal with her head down. "You okay?"

The Lotad sluggishly looked up at him. "It…The king, he has…The alarm…He is dead." Silence filled the air between the two. It was as if Dialga himself had stopped the flow of time. All was quiet.

"What!?" Ellery exclaimed.

"The king has been ill for quite some time now. Talk of the castle is that he was poisoned by a neighboring tribe of…misfits. We had hoped our king would live through, but…" Kanwal trailed off, staring off the side.

Ellery quietly scuttled to the Lotad. "I'm sorry." He plopped down next to the servant and wrapped a vine around her in an awkward hug.

Kanwal's head shot up and she gave the Bulbasaur a shocked look. It then softened into a sad smile. "You do not have to be. We should have expected it. It was inevitable, anyhow. He was old, but a good ruler, and now his son will take his place." The seed pokemon flashed a reassuring smile in return. "Well, let us continue with your, uh, quest, shall we?"

The interior of the castle was even more extravagant than the outside. Sunshine filtered through the many windows, lighting up the atmosphere. The floor was shining and smooth, with a soft material that resembled grass but was not quite grass covering some areas in large rectangular pieces. "It is carpeting, made of the finest wool, "Kanwal explained proudly. Ellery experimentally tapped his claw on a glossy tile. "Floors are cleaned, waxed, and polished every day." The duo passed by a small pile of cotton waddling in their direction. "Cynara! Will you please accompany this fine fellow to the courtyard? I must get back to my post!" Kanwal was already dashing back outside the castle by the time the Cottonee could ultter a coherent sentence.

"H-Hello mister... Y-You are here for tryouts…?"

The seed pokemon swiftly nodded. "I hope I'm not troubling you, miss. I'm Ellery, by the way."

Cynara blushed and shook her head wildly. "O-Of course n-not! Please, follow me, Mister Ellery." The two strolled through a long, spacious hallway lined with various portraits and unlit torches. A long plush rug with intricate patterns trailed the floor.

"Is that the king?" Ellery gestured to a picture of a smirking Serperior. He held his head high, not out of contempt, but out of dignity and rightful pride.

The Cottonee sadly nodded. "F-Former king." She then attempted to smile, which left the poor thing looking pained.

"Hey, it's okay to be sad."

"The king w-wanted us to move on. It w-was his l-last wish…"

"Oh. I see. But it'd be easier to move on the sooner you get the grief out of your system, don't you think?"

Cynara shyly smiled. "Perhaps you are correct." The cotton puff pokemon paused to look directly at the Bulbasaur. "I t-think you will become a f-fine knight one day, Mister Ellery."

He laughed. "Maybe. Someday, yeah, but it'll take at least a decade or so."

"I believe it will be much sooner than that."

"Wanna bet?"

The little fluff ball smirked almost deviously. "I accept your wager. Now, off to the courtyard, M-Mister Ellery."


	2. II

The courtyard, like the castle, was huge. The ground was littered with gravel and other impurities. To the far right were the barracks, which were presently empty aside from an older page that was sweeping the area. To the left of the barracks was the arsenal. Ellery could see a few pieces of armor stacked neatly side by side. To the far left was the mess hall, where a multifold of wooden tables and benches were aligned in rows.

"Attention!" A frightening and imposing Chesnaught barked. He was taller than any Chesnaught he had ever known. Back in the village, there was a very amiable one that was polite and sold berries at an affordable price. He would have only reached this knight's torso. It hurt Ellery's neck just to look up at him. "You!" He pointed his finger, which was as thick as Ellery's foreleg, at one of the rookies, a Totodile. The water-type quivered in terror. "State your name, young'un."

The Totodile stammered for a few moments until he sputtered out a meek, "Paxton," before squirming under the elder's scrutiny.

He grunted and turned to the Oddish standing next to the Totodile. "How about you, little girl?" The Chesnaught lowered his head down to glare at the weed pokemon. She bit her lip but returned his look with equal fervor. "What is your name?"

"I am Afina, daughter of Melantha the Wretched and Caurus the Crusader."

The spiny armor pokemon grinned and laughed heartily. "You're Caurus' girl? Looks like we got ourselves a real fighter!" He patted the Oddish on the head and moved on. The Chesnaught looked the next pokemon up and down. "You are?"

The Poliwag looked down at her feet with her tail between her legs and mumbled, "Thalassa." The knight nodded briskly and eyed a Shroomish.

"Roscoe," he said in a raspy voice. He then turned to a Sunkern expectantly.

"I'm Zareen!" She giggled. She then nudged the Seedot next to her.

He hesitated. "My name is Damek. It is a pleasure to meet you." The Tangela after him was oddly teetering to and fro.

"What is your name?"

"Ginton!" He replied steadfastly.

An Amaura stood straight and rigid. "I am Polaris, from the Frozen Fortress." The Chesnaught raised his eyebrows, looking genuinely intrigued.

"I'm P-Parthenope!" The skittish Surskit squealed. The next pokemon, a Budew, confidently bowed.

"My name is Nasreen, beloved fifth child of the noble Ingram Beck and his admirable wife, Akasma, at your service." The Chesnaught snorted and looked at Ellery and Cynara.

"Well?"

Ellery gasped for air. "I, ah, my name…I…My name's Ellery, I am so honored to be here—and to meet you, really!"

The knight chewed the inside of his cheek. "Flattery will get you nowhere here. Why are you standing there? Get in line, now."

"B-But I wasn't—"

"Quiet!" He growled. "You dare talk back to me?"

Cynara frowned, obviously displeased. "Daddy, why must you be so mean?"

Ellery's jaw dropped. "You…He…Related!?" The Chesnaught swallowed thickly and glowered at the Bulbasaur, as if he had eaten something rotten and it was his entire fault.

"No, he is my adoptive father."

The knight gave Cynara a pleading look and gently cooed, "Cynara, my dear, perhaps you should leave. It's not safe for someone like you to be here, surrounded by experienced fighters. Please understand."

She smiled warmly. "I understand, father. Farewell, Mister Ellery. May the blessing of Arceus be upon you." The Cottonee waved and hopped away.

The Chesnaught cleared his throat. "Moving on! As you may know, I am Sir Berenger, one of former king Calis' most trustworthy champions."

"Ah, yes, Berenger the Bulwark. How are you holding up? Are the candidates giving you any trouble?" The knight froze at the sound of the tranquil, velvety voice. All the pages turned to look at the speaker: a sublime Serperior, his head pointed to the sky, a beacon of resplendent hope that instantly invigorated the newcomers. His mere presence compelled them to stand stiffly. The pokemon leisurely and deliberately slithered to the group.

Berenger dropped to one knee. "Of course not, my liege. They all seem like adequate contenders." The young king's smile broadened. It sent pleasant chills down Ellery's back.

"Excellent." He couldn't help but notice that, if he looked close enough and the lighting was right, the king's eyes seemed to be rimmed with red and looked watery, as if he had been crying. "May I have a moment to speak with them?"

The Chesnaught immediately nodded and took a step back. "Of course, my liege."

"You all look like you could be adept knights. Now, you must prove yourselves worthy of that title. Will you do this for me? Will you do your best?" They all nodded earnestly and enthusiastically, even Ginton, the peculiar Tangela, willing to please their ruler. The corners of the Serperior's mouth twitched upwards. "Thank you. Now, please keep your word. Integrity plays a large role in the knight's code of chivalry. I will not tolerate scanty knights. I wish you all the best." The Serperior looked at every single one of them, tilting his head slightly to acknowledge them and perhaps to show his approval, and noiselessly slinked away. Ellery may have imagined it, but he felt the Serperior's eyes linger on him. The little Bulbasaur felt his cheeks bloom scarlet.

Once the Chesnaught was sure the king had left, he roared, "You heard king Perizad! Let us see what you are all capable of!" Ellery was sure that he was going to remember that name.


	3. III

"You all will be going through a series of trials. Hopefully you are all prepared. The trials will take quite some time to accomplish, so in the meantime, you all will reside in the barracks. You will live like true pages and you will perform the duties of true pages. Do not expect any extravagance. This is but one of the many realities that pages, squires, and knights must face. Any questions?" The newcomers looked at one another. "Good. You are all dismissed. Dinner is at noon . Supper is during the evening. All your meals will be cooked and consumed in the mess hall. Apprentices are expected to be in their shared quarters by nighttime. Don't get too comfortable, since you must wake up around dawn." Ellery saw Paxton, the Totodile, cringe. "You are all dismissed."

All the pupils looked at one another, at a loss for what to do. The Oddish spoke up, "We have about two hours. I advise you all to get somewhat acclimated to the castle during this time. There will be a bell rung when dinner is ready. Farewell, comrades. I wish you all the best of luck." Afina walked back into the castle.

Once she left, the Nasreen scowled. "Who does she think she is?" The Budew then stomped back into the fortress. Everyone stood there for a moment, awkwardly staring at each other and awkwardly looking away from each other, before they all took off in their separate ways. Ellery headed back to the castle.

"Hey, wait!" The Bulbasaur turned to see Paxton bumbling after him. "Since we're gonna be working together from now on, we should, ya know, get acquainted with one another, am I right? I mean, I understand if you don't wanna, I won't take any offense, I swear." The big jaw pokemon wore an optimistic expression.

"Sure. I was just going to try and find a friend that'd give me a tour of the place. Is that okay with you?"

Paxton beamed. "Definitely! Are you looking for that Cottonee?"

"Yep. Either her or a Lotad."

The two aimlessly walked around, passing by many doors, making multiple twists and turns, and traipsing numerous corridors. The dinner bell rang shrilly, and they gave each other worried looks. "I think we're lost. And late." Paxton stated. Ellery exhaled shakily.

"Yeah…" The Bulbasaur pawed at the floor. "Well, we just have to keep moving. Not like we have a choice."

Paxton grinned and nodded. "Right. Now, where to?" The water-type scanned the area. "How about we turn left? Sounds noisier there."

"Lead the way."

When the duo finally made it to the courtyard, all the other pokemon were standing in a line once again. Berenger gave them both an acrid look. He turned back to the others and sharply ordered, "Suit up. No more dilly dallying." They all scrambled to the armory. Ginton fell flat on his face, tripping Nasreen and Thalassa, the Poliwag, with his vines. Roscoe snickered. The Sunkern, Zareen, gave him a look that shut him up. Berenger sighed and faced the two tardy apprentices. "You two. You missed dinner."

They both timidly uttered, "Yes sir." The knight gave them measured looks.

"I made sure the cooks saved the two of you a meal each. If you don't hurry up, we're leaving without you. Now get a move on." The Chesnaught strode to the large iron-wrought gate between the mess hall and the arsenal. Paxton gave Ellery a perplexed look.

"He saved us something to eat? I thought…Maybe he's not such a baddie after all, huh? What a weird guy. Then again, I was never great at readin' people."

"He is kind of strange." Ellery turned to the canteen. "Well, let's dine." The pair sprinted to the mess hall, narrowly avoiding, the many pages struggling to carry piles of dirty dishes, squires polishing and lugging bundles of armor, a few knights that were keeping watch or sparring. "I wonder where all the knights are. They must be a lot more of them."

Paxton slowed down to a stop. "Now that you mention it, I think you're right. The kingdom has one of the biggest armies in the region! Maybe there was some distress call or something. I dunno."

Ellery hummed in agreement. They reached the mess hall, which was, with reason, massive. "This place is humungous! I guess we'll never have to worry about too few seats."

"Thank the gods." The floors, walls, tables, and benches were made of splintery wood. Many of the benches and tables were mix-matched, built with lumber of clashing types and coloration. The same was true for the floor- and wall-boards, which were a mosaic of timber. It was impeccably clean, a little dingy, simple, and built for practicality. A large pair of swinging batwing doors separated the dining room from the kitchen.

The Bulbasaur gingerly pushed the doors away from him and tentatively stepped into the kitchen. Paxton followed suit, albeit less gracefully. The Totodile shoved the doors aside and stumbled in. They snapped back and swung into Paxton, causing him to fall on top of poor Ellery. The twosome tumbled to the varnished floors like dominoes.

"What was that?" A feminine voice exclaimed in alarm.


	4. IV

A sky blue pokemon with a bell adorning its head levitated around the corner. A blue tail-like appendage dappled with red trailed behind it while it floated to the duo. "Oh, hello! You two must be the newcomers Berenger was talking about!" The Chimecho smiled warmly and called to the kitchen, "Beau! They're here!" One moment later, a Shuckle wobbled out of the kitchen with two plates in his yellow tentacle-like limbs. He wore a white chef's hat and a white apron. He rushed to the pair and presented the platters of some sort of stew to them. Large, soggy lumps floated to the top of the murky reddish brown liquid.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, future pages. I do hope you enjoy." Beau watched them with bated breath. Ellery demurely reached for the closest plate with his vines and waited for Paxton to do the same (minus the vine part). The Totodile grabbed his portion.

"Should we eat here or…?" Ellery awkwardly asked, avoiding Beau's intense stare.

The Chimecho let out an "Oh," before hitting her cheek with one of her stubby arms in a self-deprecating manner. "How silly of me! It would be most comfortable dining at a table, don't you agree?" She led them to the nearest table in the mess hall, the Shuckle zealously following along the way. Paxton took a seat and places his food in front of him. He began to dig in as Ellery carefully put his platter down before he sat down. He slowly ate. The Chimecho returned to the kitchen once they were both situated. Beau sat across the table and continued his unsettling observation of the two.

As Paxton gobbled down his meal, Ellery quietly savored it. The stew seemed to contain Cheri, Leppa, Magost, and Tamato berries. "Did you cook this, Beau?" Ellery asked.

"Yes!" The chef quickly answered before adding, "With the help of Miss Vesta, of course. Why do you ask?"

Ellery beamed at the bug- and rock-type. "It's delicious! I didn't think anyone could ever cook this good!"

"Yeah," Paxton agreed between noisy slurps. "I can't get enough!"

Beau's face reddened with embarrassment. "Thank you, future pages." He hid his mouth with his arm. "You flatter me!"

"Call me Ellery. This is Paxton." The Totodile looked up at the mention of his name. Stew dripped down his snout. "Maybe we should wash up."

Paxton's eyes seemed to bulge out of their sockets. "I'm not done yet!" He cried indignantly before sucking up the rest of his stew. Ellery smiled, rolled his eyes, and went back to eating his dinner.


	5. V

"Surely, you jest? If you suspect even for a second that I will work with this uncultured, gangly weed, you are sorely mistaken!" Nasreen shot Afina a chilling glare, to which the Oddish returned with an indifferent look. They were both dressed in tawny, clunk armor that appeared to be extremely burdensome. "I will never work alongside such a low-life commoner!" To this, Afina rolled her eyes. She had specifically stated that she was the daughter of two renowned fighters. "Do you know who I am!?"

Berenger was rapidly losing what little patience he had. "Your previous circumstances are irrelevant. What is pertinent is whether or not you can live up to the expectations of what it means to e a knight." He glowered at the now cowering Budew. "I also simply do not care about your wishes. I will not have you insulting Miss Afina, or anyone for that matter, while you remain ignorant of her capabilities."

"Sir Berenger," The Oddish politely interrupted. "I appreciate your attempt to defend me, but please, do not take offense when I say that I desire to fight my own battles. I do not want nor need your patronage. I wish to be treated the same as all other contenders. As you said, my circumstances are irrelevant and I must earn my title. With all due respect, sir." She addressed the knight with utmost veneration, looking him straight in the eye.

He was veritably impressed. "As you wish, Miss Afina." He gave the two formerly bickering pokemon one last glance before squinting at the canteen. The knight huffed and made his way to the gate before two voices stole his attention. Ellery and Paxton ran to him, with the Totodile shouting animatedly. Ellery was able to put on a breastplate and placard, even if his bulb was exposed.

Paxton, on the other hand, was more ill-prepared as he ran towards the knight, arms flapping madly with his couters sliding up and down them, wearing one greave, and a disheveled-looking helm haphazardly pulled onto his head.

Berenger sighed loudly and pinched the bridge of his nose as frustration surged through him. He was in dire need of a miracle if he were to successfully train these misfits into pages. "Arceus help me," he prayed. The Chesnaught continued striding to the gate before looking over his shoulder. "Onward."

Ellery watched in awe as the gate was lifted as soon as Berenger stood before it, as if it were recoiling away in fear. He wondered who was in charge of the entrances of the palaces, and how they were able to control the many entryways and exits.

Ginton wore greaves and a helm. He grasped a large shield by its handle in one of his vines. The Tangela gave Berenger an odd look. "Why do we need armor, sir?"

The knight gave him a side-glance. "I will be testing you in stamina, which includes wearing your equipment for prolonged periods of time. Knights must be swift and alert at all times. They need to move quickly and quietly, even when burdened with armor." He gave the Tangela a steady look. "Do you understand?"

Ginton hummed thoughtfully. "Why aren't you in armor, sir? Knights have to be prepared all the time, so shouldn't you wear something? Just in case?"

"Ha!" The apprentices flinched. "I am Berenger the Bulwark! I have no need for petty armor!"

Ginton hummed once more, seemingly satisfied with the answer. "Okay."

The group progressed until they stood before the moat that encircled the castle. A number of Lotad emerged from the water. Ellery was disappointed when he could not find Kanwal amongst them. "We would like to get past." Berenger stated.

A male Lotad with a high-pitched voice came forward and chirped, "Yes sir! Path formation!" Serveral Lotad lined up with more resurfacing to join in the effort.

"Kanwal!" Ellery loudly whispered to the servant. She smiled at him in acknowledgement.

"Is she the friend you were talking about?" Paxton inquired.

"Huh? Yeah, she's the first person I met here."

"Lucky. I just swam across, but I didn't know you weren't supposed to, so Sir Zemestan hollered at me until he was red in the face and late to his post or something." Ellery chuckled quietly before muffling his laughter behind his claw. "At least you're here. Everyone else's a jerk, you know? You're like the only nice guy here."

Ellery carefully stepped over a gap. "I don't think that's true. What about chefs Vesta and Beau?"

"Yeah, but," Paxton frowned crookedly before hopping over one Lotad to another. "We're not gonna be working with them all the time. These guys, on the other hand…"

"True. Maybe we'll all warm up to each other with time."

The Totodile looked doubtful. "Maybe." He then tripped, landing onto the supple green grass.

Berenger led them through the grove that concealed the castle. They pushed through the thicket until they were greeted with Pidgey chattering and pecking at each other and swooping down from twisting branches. Butterfree and Beautifuly fluttered about elegantly, narrowly avoiding Victreebel and Carnivine with their gaping maws pried open. A Vivillon struggled against its binds, incarcerated in an Ariados' intricate yet precarious web. Caterpie and Weedle crawled amongst the fertile soil, their segmented bodies wiggling behind them. Burmy hung from the tree limbs, visibly shuddering under their plant cloaks.

All seemed oblivious to the secluded fortress that was less than a mile away from them. The inhabitants of the forest scattered as soon as they heard Berenger's booming voice. The vivacity of the woods dissipated. "In this forest, an abundance of berries thrive. One of the many berries that flourish in this forest is the Watmel Berry, a large, spherical fruit with pink and green stripes. To complete this task, you must find the berry and return it to me." The Chesnaught stomped his left food in emphasis. "You must return with one Watmel Berry, with your armor, by yourself. You may not help one another carry the berry. Any questions?"

Silence.

"Good. Now, let us make this interesting. The last pokemon to return with a Watmel does not receive supper, and must sleep without a cot."

Paxton audibly gasped. Ellery followed the other apprentices in standing in a line. Paxton feverously shook his head and followed suit.

"You may now begin!"


	6. VI

The sound of what must have been a dozen or so footsteps thrummed in Ellery's ears. Adrenaline flooded his veins, his body rigid with anticipation. Bulbasaur weren't well known for being runners, but he wasn't the slowest of the pack, that he was sure of. He paid the others no mind, though, for he was too engrossed in the task at hand. The Bulbasaur lurched forward, his legs propelling him ahead.

Ellery followed the sound of rushing water in hopes of unearthing fertile soil, and, consequently, berries. The seed pokemon spotted a trickling stream that ran through tall columns of topiary. He trailed the water to its source: a grand lake with water that seemed to shimmer in the late afternoon sun. Yanma and Yanmega darted across the semi-stagnant lake, their wings beating noiselessly. Magikarp glided through the water, their bodies contouring as they whizzed through the water, light bouncing off their sleek ruby scales. Purrloin eyed the fish hungrily. A raggedy Feebas leaped out of the water before landing with a great splash, drenching one of the Purrloin, who angrily hissed at it.

An Aipom swung from the trees, clutching berries to her chest. Ellery chased after it, yelling, "Excuse me!"

She landed to the grass next to him. "Yes?" The friendly normal-type sang.

"Thank you for stopping, I was wondering if you knew where the Watmel Berries are?"

"Ooh, Watmels? There's none here!" She clicked before stroking her chin in thought. "Ooh, I know! There's some grown really high up, up there!" Her tail twitched in various directions before making up its mind, pointing at the elevated trees that sprouted on some of the "smaller" mountains.

"That's far away." Ellery said, disheartened. They were in the center of the forest, whereas those trees grew at the edge.

"It's not that bad, you'll get there in no time! Good luck!" The Aipom waved goodbye with her tail before scaling up the nearest tree in proximity. Ellery wasn't even able to thank her before she was out of sight.

He muttered, "Thanks," and resumed his errand, forging ahead in the direction of the mountains.

By the time Ellery made it up to the Watmel trees, the sun was beginning to set. He had not encountered the others, so he was either one of the firsts or one of the last to get to the berries. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought and he pushed it to the back of his mind. Ellery sat on his haunches, studying the tremendous tree before him.

He reached out for the closest Watmel with his vines and wrapped them securely around the fruit. He tugged at the berry until it dislodged from its branch. The Bulbasaur panicked, underestimating the sheer density of the monstrosity. His vines gave way and he dropped the Watmel.

Fortunately, it was not harmed. Ellery firmly grasped the hefty berry this time, lifted it a few inches from the ground, and turned back to the thicker expanse of the woods.

The little grass- and poison-type couldn't help admiring the fruit clenched between his vines. Like Sir Berenger had said, it was round. Horizontal, jagged fuchsia and lime lines ran along the Watmel's surface. Flecks of green dotted some of the pink stripes. It was a simple yet pretty fruit, and was perfectly ripe. Ellery recalled eating Watmel berries with the pleasant old Wormadam. It was incredibly sweet with a tart, bitter aftertaste that balanced the sugariness. He had no idea why the knight made them fetch this type of berry—probably because it was the most cumbersome to haul.

The load was beginning to take its toll on the Bulbasaur. His vines and legs ached. He set the Watmel down and rested. It was getting dark. His mind wandered to the others. What if everyone was already done? Ellery immediately shot up and hurriedly resumed his trek back to the castle, the Watmel in his vines and fatigue in his limbs.


	7. VII

When Ellery finally neared the Chesnaught waiting at the grove, he was surprised to see that only one Watmel had been delivered so far. The Bulbasaur sluggishly plodded to the knight, placed the berry at the knight's feet, and looked at him uneasily. Berenger nodded to the Bulbasaur. "Supper should be ready."

Not sure what to say, Ellery awkwardly turned away and walked to the mess hall. He went through the door-less entrance to see the older pages, squires, and knights sitting with their peers. The canteen was brimming with commotion. Pages were walking through the rows of wooden tables, serving knights bowls of what looked like broth. Squires retrieved their own supper from the kitchen and brought them to their seats, where they mingled with one another. Laughter filled the air and delightful smells wafted from the kitchen. Ellery spotted Afina walking out of the kitchen balancing a bowl on her head.

"Hey, Afina!" The Oddish glanced at him, puzzled, before he caught up to her.

"Yes? Is there something wrong?"

It was Ellery's turn to look befuddled. "What? No! I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to sit together."

Afina offered a small smile. "Very well. I'll choose a table. You should get your supper."

"Sure thing!" Ellery said before shoving past the double swinging doors to the kitchen. "Chef Beau?"

The Shuckle peered around the corner. His face lit up once his eyes fell on the Bulbasaur. "Evenin', Ellery! Quick, before your soup gets cold."

Ellery fetched the warm bowl from the Shuckle's feelers with his vines. "What's in it?"

Beau excitedly answered, "Passho Berries, Cornn Berries, Rabuta Berries, and some mushrooms thrown in the mix! Everything is cooked to perfect, I assure you!"

The Bulbasaur chuckled. "I believe you. Thanks Beau!"

"So long, young warrior! Please enjoy your meal!"

Ellery said goodbye before scanning the canteen, attempting to pinpoint the Oddish's location. He finally found her and started to her table, where she was quickly sipping at her meal. He sat next to her and they ate in silence.

"He's an exceptional cook, don't you agree?"

The seed pokemon looked up from his food and gave Afina a blank stare.

"The chef. The Shuckle."

"Oh, you mean Beau? Best food I ever tasted, what a great cook!"

Afina's eyes were fixated on her soup. "Have you ever tasted the royal chef's cooking?"

"Ah," Ellery began. "No. I lived in a village all my life, so I never got the chance."

The weed pokemon kept her eyes glued to her bowl. She then suddenly looked at Ellery. "There will be a time when the royal army is able to dine in the dining hall, with the royal family and other such nobles. The food is simply divine. I'm sure Beau is at their level of skill, but he is designated to use just the most basic ingredients easily found by foraging." Afina then averted her eyes back to her supper. "More pokemon have returned."

Ellery looked up to see Nasreen strut into the mess hall, full of loftiness. She looked at the pair condescendingly before making a show of ordering Parthenope, the jumpy Surskit, to retrieve her supper for her.

Afina darted to the kitchen and stopped the Surskit. She said, through gritted teeth, "Get your own lunch. Do not submit to her orders."

"B-But…" Parthenope fumbled.

"If you are afraid, I will accompany you to her table and tell her so myself. Come along."

The Oddish led Parthenope to where the haughty Budew was situated.

"What is the meaning of this?" Nasreen spat.

"Perhaps you can explain to me why you are forcing Parthenope to serve you? Is she not your equal?"

The Budew glared at Afina. "Who do you think you are? You need to learn how to stop meddling in other people's affairs!"

"I will not let you victimize our own comrades."

"It's okay really, I don't mind—" The Surskit weakly attested.

Nasreen turned to her, a livid scowl etched on her features. "Quiet, you worthless little…"

"Ladies, ladies! What are you quarreling about?" A young Flygon shouldered his way between Nasreen and Afina. He looked back and forth between the two and they both quieted down.

Ellery covered his eyes with his claws. This could not end well.


End file.
